By Lynn Schulte RD, LD, CNSC
Photo by Gerard Roman Camps via Flickr Creative Commons.
There are multiple resources available when studying for your first Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) exam! Many of these resources have already been discussed at length and are very helpful. However, books, guidelines, and modules don’t have to be the only tools you use to prepare for exam day. Here are a few of the nontraditional resources for those willing to think outside of the box!
Work
When is there a better time to study for your big exam than during your 40+-hour work week? Instead of studying all night and then leaving your notes at home when you leave for work, bring them into work so you can use them throughout the day. Reference the materials when you’re working on those complicated cases for patients receiving enteral and parenteral nutrition or with that disease state that you only see once a year. By actively using the notes in your practice the information your studying is reinforced and easier to recall during the exam.
Also, one unexpected resource that your employer may have is a competency exam. This is an exam that our dietitians have to take pass prior to being approved as competent and able to safely treat patients on nutrition support. Since your hospital’s competency test and the CNSC exam have similar goals, promoting safe and effective nutrition support delivery, they likely test on similar materials.
Professional Organizations
Don’t overlook the professional organizations that you are likely already a member of. In dietetics, for example, on the national level, the Dietitians in Nutrition Support practice group offers a six-month calendar that outlines recommended materials to review for the exam. On the local level, our dietetic district association has started a mentorship program that matches people with similar interests, one of which is the interest in passing the CNSC exam.
Mentors
Mentors don’t always have to come in the form of an official mentorship program. Use a coworker, professor, or another healthcare professional who has taken the CNSC exam as a resource! Ask them about what they thought of the exam, what they did to prepare for it, and what they would do in certain clinical scenarios. Your coworkers know that the better you are at your job, the easier it will make their job so most are more than willing to help!
The Internet
You can only read about acid-base balanced so many times before you completely give up on understanding or memorizing it. Cue the Internet! YouTube videos are not always made by the most reliable source of information, however there are many videos made by medical professionals to help understand a variety of topics for other tests, such at the NCLEX, that can be useful to you. You can also find information in one of the many forums that discuss topics, including preparing for the CNSC exam.
Check back later for more posts on preparing for and passing your first Certification Examination for Nutrition Support Clinicians!
Great info! I’m up for my recertification April 2016, do you know if the exam is any different for a recert or if the same exam (with updates) is given for new and renewing CNSC exam takers?